Earl Johnson (fiddler)
Earl Johnson ( born August 24, 1886, Gwinnett County, Georgia, as Robert Earl Johnson, † May 31, 1965 ) was an American Old-time musicians. Johnson is probably one of the best known and most talented fiddler that produced Georgia in the 1920s.
- 2.1 Singles
- 2.2 albums
Life
Childhood and youth
Earl Johnson in 1886, Georgia was born in Gwinnett County. Johnson learned from his father William fiddle playing. In his childhood and youth he played often with his two brothers, Albert ( banjo) and Esther ( guitar). However, the music took a just a place as a hobby for Johnson. He also helped his father on the farm, but also finished at the same time a Musikurs in Chicago, because Johnson wanted to be a music teacher in Atlanta. However, Johnson's brothers died in 1923, both within six months, which was a tough loss for him.
Career
At the same time Johnson had also established contacts with other local musicians, such as to Fiddlin ' John Carson, one of the first rural musicians who were recorded on record. His debut as a professional musician made Johnson in 1925 for Paramount Records as a member of the Dixie String Band as well as background music for his friend Arthur Tanner, with whom he also appeared frequently in the radio station WSB program. He also played on some recordings of Fiddlin ' John Carson as the second Fiddler and partly as a second singer in the backing band, the Virginia Reelers.
In February 1927 Johnson began his career as a soloist. With his own band he took on first title for OKeh Records. Overall, he should be in the next four years with Okeh import almost 50 pieces. During these sessions, he was accompanied alternately by the Clodhoppers or the Dixie Entertainers. Both groups were known for their "wild" sound with fiddle, banjo and remarkable vocals. The Dixie Entertainers existed side of Emmett Bankston Johnson ( banjo) and Byrd Moore ( guitar); the Clodhoppers also from Emmett Bankston and Lee " Red" Henderson ( guitar). The first appearance was Johnson's Is not Nobody's Business, a song later for his senseless lyrics ( "She runs a weenie stand, way down in no- man's land " ) was known and has been covered by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Ella Mae Morse. Johnson's repertoire and sound show clear parallels to those of Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers, also musicians from Georgia, the recordings for Columbia Records and one of the most successful string bands of their genre were.
1929 Johnson moved for a short time to RCA Victor, but then returned again in 1930 for OKeh back. Meanwhile, his two background bands had abandoned him, so he was supported in a session in December 1930 by his wife Lulu Bell and guitarist Bill Henson. With the global economic crisis, however, was also Johnson's end as a musician; his last session he held in October 1931. After he retired from the music business, but he nevertheless continued to participate in Fiddler 's Contest in part.
Earl Johnson died in 1965 at the age of 78 of a heart attack. Document Records in 1997 gave two CDs with Johnson's collected works out.